The present invention relates to methods for playing a casino game in the nature of poker using one or more decks of conventional playing cards or other means for selecting indicia and an electronic device therefor.
Poker is a popular game throughout the world. It combines principles of card games known for centuries in Europe but in its present form it is distinctly of American origin. There are numerous forms of Poker and the main divisions are: Draw Poker, in which all of a player""s cards are unknown to his opponents and Stud Poker, in which some of the player""s cards are face up and others face down. Within the above two broad categories numerous variations exist with xe2x80x9cHoldemxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cTexas Holdemxe2x80x9d being a popular example. In xe2x80x9cHoldemxe2x80x9d each player makes an ante wager and is dealt two cards face down. After a betting interval three communal cards are dealt face up. A second betting interval follows and the dealer then turns up one more communal card. Another betting round follows after which the dealer turns up the final communal card and the player with the highest Poker ranked hand assembled from their own cards and the four communal cards wins the pot.
In modern casinos the game of Poker takes one of three forms: live or cardroom Poker where players compete against one another but the games are controlled and supervised by a house dealer who removes a house levy either in the form of a participation fee or as a percentage of winning hands; electronic video machines offering various forms of Poker; and Poker played as a xe2x80x9cbankers gamexe2x80x9d either where the game involves players in contest with the dealer""s hand or where the object is for the players to obtain a hand based on hierarchical Poker rankings. In both versions of Banker games the house enjoys a favorable advantage based on a paytable that is structured in such a way that the pay-offs are not based on the true mathematical odds, or rules of play so structured that the house has a favorable edge.
The growth in casinos has prompted the introduction of new games and variations to established games. Numerous patents have been granted in this particular field. For example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,836,553 and 4,948,134 (Suttle et al.) a casino type Poker game is disclosed in which players each play against a dealer (a banked game). If a player wins, he receives a bonus payment depending on the Poker rank of his hand. Various patents disclose casino type games where for example a standard deck is modified, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,551 (Stravinsky) where cards are dealt from two standard decks of fifty two cards plus eighteen special cards; U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,444 (Nguyen) discloses a deck of cards consisting of thirty two cards; U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,128 (Hesse et al.) discloses a casino game where cards are assigned certain values and the object is to hit a total 9 in total count or value.
Various other patents disclose further variations to traditional forms of Poker. Sklansky U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,025 discloses a modification of Texas Holdem whereby players do not compete against one another and whereby players have the opportunity to select their two card hand from a plurality of hands dealt face-up. Breeding U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,430 discloses a Poker banker game in which the players place three bets at the outset but as the game unfolds the players are given the option of withdrawing two of their wagers. Potter et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,494,295 disclose an invention which provides a method whereby a plurality of hand ranking rules can be utilized within a single type wagering game.
It is to be noted that Poker in casinos (excluding video style machines) takes two distinct forms and method of operation; cardroom Poker where players compete against one another and banking type Poker games where players do not compete against one another but against the house either in terms of competing with a dealer or where there is no dealer hand and the object is to reach certain winning combinations. There is a need for a game method where players both compete against one another and against the house and where they have the opportunity to receive bonus payments by achieving certain winning Poker hands/combinations.
With reference to electronic, video casino games the prior art discloses a number of Poker type games. Video Draw Poker is the most widely played of such games. In Video Draw Poker, a player places a wager of 1-5 units and a hand of five cards composed of electronically produced visual representation are displayed on a monitor. The player has the option of discarding some or all of the cards and receiving replacements which are selected by the machine""s processor from memory. If the player""s hand corresponds to one of the hands based on Poker ranking he wins the corresponding award displayed on the paytable. The award is multiplied by the number of units bet. Video Draw Poker appears in a progressive jackpot formxe2x80x94a player qualifies for the progressive jackpot provided he wagers the maximum number of units permissible (usually 5).
There is a need for an electronic Poker game where players place a wager prior to the deal as in Video Draw Poker but may thereafter double and treble their original bet. Such a game would dramatically change the dynamics of strategy. Skillful play based on optimal strategy would reward a player by permitting him to increase his winnings two or three-fold. The game would appeal to players by providing the opportunity to make multiple wagers and decisions related to those wagers based on the progress of the game. Casino operators would welcome an innovation that results in an increase of the amount wagered.
In other types of slot machines such as the multi-reel slot machines, there is also a need to increase player participation and excitement in obtaining outcomes. According to present day machines, which may be electro-mechanical or of a video display type, the player makes a wager and the machine""s processor selects an outcome which is displayed by mechanically rotating reels having indicia (and blank locations) thereon to align the indicia or blanks at a designated payline(s). For the video display version, the processor simulates the rotation of reels to produce the same result. Once initiated, the player has no input or control over the ultimate outcome. It would be advantageous to provide a method and device which would enable the player to participate in obtaining the outcome by giving the player an opportunity to increase their wager and discard one or more symbols from the initial display at the payline(s) and receive replacements therefor.
There is theref or provided according to the present invention a device and method for playing a game which increases the opportunity for the player to increase their wager during play and to discard at least a portion of an initial holding to attempt to better their final outcome. The method can be practiced in a live, table game format or by use of a device.
Accordingly, the method includes the player making a wager and initiating play by providing an initial holding to the player. The initial holding may be cards dealt by a dealer or symbols displayed at a display. The player is given the opportunity to increase their initial wager and to discard one or more of the components of the initial holding. Those components, e.g. cards, or symbols displayed, are replaced by replacement to produce a final outcome. If the final outcome is a designated winning outcome, the player receives a payoff based upon their wager(s) and if the outcome is a losing outcome the player""s wager(s) are lost.
In a reel-type slot machine format, the method is practiced by the player making a wager and initiating play whereupon the gaming device randomly selects and displays at a payline(s) an initial holding as indicia on slot machine reels registering at the payline. The player assesses their initial holding and may stand or increase their wager to receive replacements for one or more of the indicia. If the player stands, the initial holding is the final outcome and the player wins or loses based upon that outcome. If the player has obtained a winning outcome, he is paid according to his wager and a predetermined paytable. If the player elects to increase their wager to receive replacements, they make their additional wager and select which indicia from the initial holding to discard (or hold) the indicia by respinning the reel(s) to produce a final outcome. If the player has obtained a winning outcome, they are paid based upon their initial and second wager and an established payout schedule. If the outcome is a losing outcome, the wagers are lost.
In a live table game format, the players each make an initial ante wager and a first outcome wager. The dealer deals cards to the players and a community hand to be shared by all players to make the best five card Poker hand. The dealing may be according to any one of the following formats of Table 1:
The players each assess their cards and opt to discard none, some or all of their cards which are replaced by cards dealt by the dealer to define each Player""s initial holding. If the Players so wish they may place a second outcome wager in an amount corresponding to their first outcome wager and the dealer then reveals a first face down card of the community hand. The Players again each assess their hands and may opt place a third outcome wager and the dealer then reveals the remainder of the face down cards of the community hand. From the Player""s cards and the cards of the community hand, each Player makes the highest ranking Poker hand they can which defines the Player""s final outcome. The Player with the highest ranking outcome collects the ante wagers from the other Players. Each Player""s outcome is also compared to a schedule of winning outcomes. If the Player has such an outcome, e.g. a four-of-a-kind, the Player receives a payout from the dealer according to a payout schedule.